Ghana News Agency

Friday 3rd May, 2013

Speakers at a ceremony to mark World Press Freedom Day on Friday condemned attacks on journalists especially the recent assault of two photo journalists during Ghanas 57th Independence Day celebration by soldiers

Accra, May 3,
GNA - Speakers at a ceremony to mark World Press Freedom Day on Friday
condemned attacks on journalists especially the recent assault of two photo
journalists during Ghanas 57th Independence Day celebration by soldiers.

They also
expressed their displeasure at the report which sought to exonerate the
soldiers who perpetrated the act and noted that it is not too late to make
amends but going the extra mile to see that the assaulted journalists are
treated with fairness, justice and dignity.

The Day,
which coincided with the swearing-in of the new executives of Ghana Journalists
Association (GJA), was on the theme: Ensuring the safety of Journalists and
Media Workers; Combating Impunity against Press Freedom.

The new
executives were sworn in by the Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr
Kabral Blay Amihere.

He noted that
worldwide journalists are being arrested and thrown into detention without
trial.

He said about
600 journalists have been killed in the past 10 years and said the act of
impunity must not go unpunished.

Mr Affail
Monney, President of the GJA said the new executives assume office at a time of
manifold challenges in Ghana and noted:Ghanas democracy is on a slippery ground and if media practitioners do
not stand up to correct the ethical gaffes and kinks we shall regret.

Democracy is
cheap but expensive.We see cheapness in
the newspapers stories we readand
radio materials we hear and the television images we watch.

In this
critical stage of our history we must more than ever internalise ethical values
and reflect on them in our output, he added.

He also
touched on the conditions of service of journalists and said the GJA would be
unionised so that journalists would for the first time be legally empowered to
negotiate better conditions of service.

He said the
GJA acknowledged the positive strides in government media relations especially
the media development fund and the recent distribution of laptops to
journalists but added: Indeed it is of strategic necessity on both sides to
deepen this relationship while fulfilling our constitutional mandate to hold
government accountable.

For the sake
of emphasis, we shall not flinch from our roles as watch dogs; no amount of
intimidation or beatings at public functions, God forbid, will make us scared
dogs.

Mrs Gifty
Afenyi-Dadzie, past president of the GJA urged journalists to be courageous and
strong, stand for what is right, unite and move the Association forward.

Representatives
from the Editors Forum of Ghana, Private Newspapers Association of Ghana, and
Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association among others in solidarity messages
also condemned attacks on journalists and pledged their support to the GJA and
the new executives.

Ms Ajoba
Kyimah, corporate and Legal Affairs of the Accra Brewery Limited and Voltic
Ghana Limited sponsors of the events congratulated the mediaand assured the GJA of their modest but
unflinching support in their endeavour to be viable and reliable to promote
sustainable press freedom and media accountability that enables the media to
contribute to National Development